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RELIGION

Juan Carlos praises Pope after resignation

Spain's King Juan Carlos on Monday hailed the dedication of Pope Benedict XVI following the pontiff's shock announcement that he would resign.

Published: 12 February 2013 10:30 CET

"In the wake of the decision announced today by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, the king wants to express his appreciation for his dedication and work during his nearly eight years in charge of the Catholic Church," the royal household said in a statement.

"King Juan Carlos values the special relationship maintained by His Holiness with Spain, reflected in three memorable visits of Benedict XVI to our country, in which he held meetings with the Spanish royal family that were characterized by warmth and affection," the statement added.

Pope Benedict XVI visited Spain in 2006, 2010 and 2011 – making it one of the countries he visited most since becoming pontiff in April 2005.

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WORKING IN SWEDEN

Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

The King’s mounted Royal Guards will no longer be able to wear their iconic ceremonial helmets on parades, after the Swedish Work Environment Authority warned of serious safety concerns.

Published: 7 July 2023 13:53 CEST
Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

“We take the safety of our employees extremely seriously and we are going to address this immediately,” colonel Stefan Nacksten, head of the Royal Guards, wrote in a statement. 

Employed by the Armed Forces, the Royal Guards are the King’s cavalry and infantry units and are a well-known sight at ceremonies in Sweden, including at the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace of Stockholm every day in summer – a popular spectacle for Stockholmers and tourists alike.

The helmets will no longer be used by Royal Guards on horseback from July 7th, as they do not conform to safety standards for riding helmets, although guards parading on foot will still be permitted to wear them.

They are part of the 1895 parade uniforms and were last modified in 2000. The Armed Forces will now create an entirely new helmet which looks the part, but is also safe for riding.

“We’re working on finding an alternative solution as quickly as possible which meets safety requirements and can also be used during parades,” Nacksten said.

“We’ve been working long-term with this issue but now that it has been assessed [by the Swedish Work Environment Authority] we need to take measures immediately,” he added.

“This is good, and now we’re working to make sure something good comes out of this and we can get a safe riding helmet for parades in place as soon as possible.”

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